Gore's address, sponsored by a bi-partisan coalition, warned that our "constitution is in grave danger" and called for, amongst many other things (highlights of speech here), the creation of new Whistleblower Protections for members of the Executive Branch and others.

Edmonds, due to a rarely invoked "State Secrets" privilege by the Dept. of Justice, is legally barred from discussing remarkable and troubling findings she made as an FBI translator after 9/11, in regard to a number of explosive matters of national security.

The National Security Whistleblowers Coalition applauds Mr. Gore for his nonpartisan speech which very eloquently and sincerely expresses our core American values based on the notions of liberty and justice.

As stated by Mr. Gore, without whistleblowers the public would never know of the many abuses of constitutional rights by the government. Whistleblowers, Truth-Tellers, are responsible for the disclosure that President George W. Bush ordered unconstitutional surveillance of American citizens. These constitutional lifeguards take their patriotic oaths to heart and soul: Rather than complying with classification and secrecy orders designed to protect officials engaging in criminal conduct, whistleblowers choose to risk their livelihoods and the wrath of their agencies to get the truth out.

We applaud the call by Liberty Coalition & Al Gore for congress to enact new legislation that would provide meaningful whistleblower protections, especially for those patriots who report abuses of Executive Branch authority in the sensitive areas of national security. Hundreds of national security whistleblowers, patriotic government employees, have brought to the public's attention cases of agency wrongdoing only to find themselves fired, stripped of their security clearance, and/or deprived of meaningful work, simply because they were courageous and patriotic enough to place the security of our nation above their own career security and interests.

Why should government employees have to choose between their livelihood and career, and fulfilling their highest duty of all: protecting the public's interest?

The answer is very simple, because our legislative branch has failed to provide these patriots with any protection.

Whistleblowers have served as a constant and valuable check on the federal government. Considering the fact that to perform its legislative & oversight functions, congress must depend on information from the executive branch, why is it that the congress refuses to provide a safe & protected channel to those who can provide the congress with information, thus enable it to exercise its oversight responsibility?

In a Guest Blog of her own here at BRAD BLOG in late December, Edmonds called for whistleblowers from within various national security agencies to step forward and reveal illegal activities by the agencies, as a "patriotic duty" to the country.

Several days later, NSA whistleblower, Russell Tice, revealed to ABC News that he was one of the New York Times' sources who had provided the paper with information concerning the alleged illegal, warrantless wire-tapping of U.S. citizens in apparent violation of the Foreign Intelligence Security Act of 1978. Tice is also a member of Edmonds' National Security Whistleblowers Coalition.

As I watched Al Gore on C-SPAN today, I knew I was witnessing something extremely significant, and historical - like never before in my lifetime.

At least I know others are coming forward and showing their courage to do the right thing as they stand-up for all Americans, even if some will never see it as such.

As an average American citizen with not much to offer except my blog, and voice, if Al Gore shows the courage to take a stand, quote Orwell & Thom. Paine, so too can others.

Having followed Sibel Edmonds story for quite sometime, I highly commend her for her bravery and stanima. Now, I wish others would come foward, just as Ms. Edmonds has, and now today Al Gore and help save our country --- before it's seriously too late.

I just hope it isn't already.

Thanks Brad, Al Gore & Ms. Edmonds, as well as Congressman Conyers, Murtha and on and on...

Gore shared with all American patriots both an eloquent and timely speech that will no doubt go down in history. I fervently pray that Gore's call for protecting constitutional freedoms will be a needed jumpstart for democracy instead of its swan song.

I also watched the Gore speech today. He is eloquent in his call to protect the constitutional rights of all our citizens. Unfortunately, the right has the cards and we must change that situation as soon as we can.

I watched C-span the other day and learned that the Democrats have 48 persons for the 2006 elections. This is the way the Conservatives took over Congress in 1994, this is the way we can protect our rights and restore our country to it's former GREATNESS !

As I said originally and explained at quite length, this nation is in the hands of the neocons...

Therefore it doesn't matter worth crap what anyone says and does, its all moot until the power mechanism of the neocons is utterly obliterated.

Its encouraging to see Al Gore's broadcast air on all the TV stations....I didn't even think they'd do that...

But you must keep your nose to the grindstone now more than ever.....Perhaps others can form their own coalition, to place maximum pressure on the failed legislative branch to impeach: Write through Congress NOW....

And inform them, in no uncertain terms that their jobs are finished unless they move to impeachment. Say they will be thrown out one after the other, via the legal process and via election, if they do not act on impeachment hearings IMMEDIATELY.....

And if they so base their decisions on the thought process of "We don't want Cheney"....I got news for them: Impeach Cheney either first or second, but start the hearings on both, or be thrown out.

That's the only message....send it strong and clearly like a vacuum.

Because meanwhile, we have to destroy their very foundation, republican and democrat alike must, and that is the VOTING MACHINES & ILLEGAL SOFTWARE which make up their entire empire.

The highest members of our congress/senate are guilty of bribery, on both sides period. Apply maximum tension to the removal of voting machines and contact the DOJ offices with any evidence you have of bribery:AskDOJ@usdoj.gov

All officials who engaged in bribery must be forced to step down as Gore is pointing to, and instant-runoff elections for all of them including Cunningham. Post haste.

# 7 Robert Lockwood Mills. I would be happy to welcome Sibel Edmonds to our country. You said that "It's just that the liberals are corrupt up there"
There is a misconception among many that all the liberals were involved with the sponsorship scandal. It was a few and our present Prime Minister , Paul Martin, was exonerated from any wrong doing. In fact Prime Minister Martin brought the scandal to the attention of the RCMP. He was willing to have an election after the final Gomery report on the scandal in Feburary but the oppostion couldn't/wouldn't wait.

Most our media is also very conservative and they have been saying for over a week that Harper is the winner. I hope they are proven wrong because I think Harper will be a dangerous dictator...um, I mean leader.

#9 I always suspected something strange about that day and the follow up on it. It does seem oddly convenient though that Bush was in office just in time to start his takeover bid.

I don't know if you've heard the other theories that go along with the story but apparently the planes that hit the towers were remote controlled and they also say that there were bombs planted on the plane. When the planes hit the bomb superheated the metal so it would melt and they came down. Now I'm not a metal expert but according to the report it was not possible that jet fuel would heat that high and thus the theory that it was the planes fuel that brought them down is bogus (according to the report).

Does it seem feasible that there were financial records in the 2 Towers that would directly implicate any of the parties involved or would it be a front to direct attention away from some questionable transactions? Maybe neither? Maybe both? If this is the case what is the motive?

#12 I was just posting and yours came through. Sibel Edmonds is definetly welcome in our country. Stephen Harper would be a dangerously close ally to Bush even though he has tried convince everyone he is not. He went as far as to write a column about his differences with the current regime because a conservative newspaper ( which I cannot remember right now) said that he would be Bush's Ideal Canadian Prime Minister.

I think he would do much the same as our numbnut president to the south. He also called the area I'm from a "Welfare State" and that we only accept handouts. I fear for our own politics because whomever you turn to, you've got someone 2 faced.

#14 Jeff , yes I will be voting and convincing people, who don't know who to vote for, to NOT vote for Harper. Rumour is that he gets alot of support $$$ from the National Citizens Coalition. His comment about you being from a Welfare State sounds like many other things he said...Harper

Bush hails MLK as one of the greatest Americans, and insists on renewal of the 1965 Voting Rights act.

"We recommit ourselves to working for the dream that Martin Luther King gave his life for _ an America where the dignity of every person is respected; where people are judged not by the color of their skin --- by the content of their character; and where the hope of a better tomorrow is in every neighborhood in this country," Bush said.

Does he ever stop lying? Has he ever spoken a sincere word in his entire life? A couple of months ago he was against the Voting Rights act - and now he gets applause because suddenly he's for it? Fuck him. Hear that Bush??? FUCK YOU!

If 9/11 was used to cover-up something, then that something must be very very very big. Maybe I should say, a very very very big pile of money and power.

But, if 9/11 was just part of the PNAC plan, then it's clearly part of a foreign policy aimed at US dominance of the middle east --- oil. That is, for example, one very big pile of money and power.

However, my take on things is that there are a lot of people who have financial interests which are taken care of by the Bush administration and the entire flow of events which have occurred since early 2000 (when the Fed began quickly raising interest rates). Those interests don't seem to correlate with benefitting most Americans. They are narrow financial interests.

Still, it's hard to piece together the puzzle or 'connect the dots' when a lot of them aren't in view and there is undoubtedly a lot of misinformation placed in view.

Of course, that's not to say the conspiracy couldn't be uncovered, it just wouldn't be easy. Such people as those who would do such a thing are the kind who play VERY hard ball and keep their tracks covered very well. That's how they got to be 'those people'.

Will it ever be uncovered? It's truly a mystery, a puzzle of our times and a great bit for historians to write about. Beyond that it's hard to even guess.

Just off the cuff, I'd suggest Ms. Edmonds be very careful and obey the letter and spirit of the law to avoid problems.

I don't know if you've heard the other theories that go along with the story but apparently the planes that hit the towers were remote controlled (so far so good)and they also say that there were bombs planted on the plane (wrong ,thermite or similar was ? use to effort the collapse IMHO and explains the fire that continued to burn days after,regardless of the fire fighters effort to exstinguish them). And building WTC 7 was "pulled" probaly with thermite cutting charges also IMHO.
shit I hope that doesn't ANNOY anyone...

I wish more whistleblowers would have the courage to come forward and enlighten this nation about the corruption from the WH. The vicious attacks from the mad smear dogs of the rethuglican party, has terrorised most people into a dark silence. There are many people I am sure wishing they could reveal the evil doings of the Busheviks, but are too scared to tell. Al Gore's speech was brilliant. He really is the President we never had.
What a sad situation the nation is in today.

"Further, the process of transformation, even if it brings revolutionary change, is likely to be a long one, absent some catastrophic and catalyzing event - like a new Pearl Harbor."

From the September 2000 report entitled "Rebuilding America's Defenses" (pdf-p.51), issued by the Project for the New American Century, whose prominent members include Vice President Dick Cheney, his former chief of staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby (currently under indictment for perjury and obstuction of justice in the CIA leak case), Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, former assistant Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz (who now heads the World Bank), and Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Jeb's brother George would soon be appointed to the presidency by the United States Supreme Court, the others would take their respective key positions in the resulting illegitimate administration, and the "new Pearl Harbor" would arrive 9 months later.

It's as plain as the perpetual look of cluelessness on Dubya's face that he is a mere puppet for the evil bastards who are trying to take over America and the world, and quite possible that he is being set up for a fall by Cheney and his neocon brigade. Problem is these fucking idiots are too wrapped up in their real-life game of Risk to realize that the American people are slowly but surely waking up and demanding accountability.

Hey Uncle Dick, Dandy Don and company:
It's not 1972 anymore, assholes, when you were trying the same shit as part of the Nixon administration.

It is a neoCon talking point "both sides are equally guilty" in the Abramoff scandal. It is not true. George Will, a conservative clearly stated that republicans in congress have the lions share due to their having the offices of leadership. He said it on Sunday's This Week with George Stephanopolous.

It is just as wrong to fire a shotgun into a crowd and say "they all did something wrong sometime".

It is symtomatic of laziness and corruption to not focus on individuals in criminal prosecutions. There is no such thing as a criminal prosecution of a political party. The prosecution is against individuals.

Furthermore, the leadership of the House and Senate are republicans. One party has the lead, not both. The accountability must come down on the republican lack of leadership, because they have allowed the congress to be a rubber stamp for the crime ridden white house.

WHY WAS MOHAMMED ATTA ON JACK ABRAMOFF'S CASINO BOAT ON SEPT 5, 2001? WAS ABRAMOFF HELPING THE 9/11 HIJACKERS LAUNDER MONEY THROUGH HIS CASINO? IS THIS WHAT SIBEL EDMONDS IS REFERRING TO WHEN SHE SAYS THIS:

The most significant information that we were receiving did not come from counter-terrorism investigations, and I want to emphasize this. It came from counter-intelligence, and certain criminal investigations, and issues that have to do with money laundering operations.

You get to a point where it gets very complex, where you have money laundering activities, drug related activities, and terrorist support activities converging at certain points and becoming one. In certain points - and they [the intelligence community] are separating those portions from just the terrorist activities. And, as I said, they are citing "foreign relations" which is not the case, because we are not talking about only governmental levels. And I keep underlining semi-legit organizations and following the money. When you do that the picture gets grim. It gets really ugly.

You said "It's not 1972 anymore, assholes, when you were trying the same shit as part of the Nixon administration."

This is interesting. The ACLU complaint I mention and link to in my posts #29 and #30 cites a case where Nixon era ideology (and by extrapolation Bush neoCon ideology) was hammered by the Supreme Court for doing what neoCon Bush is now doing.

BTW, I was recently watching C-SPAN (can't remember the show) and someone in the audience asked the "man" about trillions being lost. I wish I could remember the particulars. Anyway, the "man" said he'd never heard of such a thing. The audience member said she'd provide a cite. Did you, by chance, see that too?

Dredd
That's a good point also. The only democrat I can find involved directly was Harry Reid, because his staff was too close to Abramoff.

But now he has stepped up to the plate and banned those corrupt practices. It really is a republican leadership scandal all the way around, as far as Abramoff is concerned...Others might be blackmailed other ways.

And it is encouraging, to as I said hear that speech on the news and the White House now busily trying to smear Al Gore!!!! That means without question, they are afraid of him and the neocon regime is coming tumblin' on down.

Could someone enlighten me as to what would happen to Ms.Edmonds should she tell all? Jail time? I mean it is incrediable someone can be barred from speaking. I am certain she has already suffered careerwise. What else can they take from her?

With all the garbage being blown around from O'Reilly, Limbaugh, and the other hacks and they can say anything.

I know the DoD spends a lot each year, but how does $2.3 T pile up? What time period did that occur in?

I'd read about Dov Zakheim and the remote-controlled aircraft story before and this connection to both the money and 9/11 is way too many dots congregating together to be ignored. Yet, I suppose Congress ignores whatever it wants.

I told a friend of mine about the remote-controlled aircraft and he, despite being quite intelligent and well-read, thought it was horse hockey. So, I sent him some website links. I haven't heard from him on that recently.

So, now I have another wild-assed tin-foil-hat story to tell him about a big pile o' missing money.

Isn't it amazing what we *don't* see on the television news? They'd run out of tin-foil making all the hats. BTW, does it have to be tin-foil? Can't we use aluminum or something easier to get?

For my Canadian friends: My point wasn't that Martin is a bad guy, merely that scandals within the Liberal party have the other guy in the lead, and if he wins Sibel might not be welcome in Canada as a whistle-blower against our government.

I have a strong hunch that what she knows, but somehow isn't allowed to reveal, is enough by itself to bring about Bush's impeachment and removal from office, and if revealed before 2001 would also have removed Clinton from office. I think it's very big.

What I don't get is why, if she's already been fired, Sibel remains under restrictions. Did she sign a non-disclosure agreement in exchange for certain retirement benefits? That's what they do on Wall Street to keep naughty stuff under wraps...buy the person's silence with poisoned carrots.

As the Superbowl approaches, SRA International employees and shareholders may be wondering what is going to happen next.

For some time, Barry Landew has bragged about how easy it is for him to make money gambling on sports events. At one point he even said he was thinking of moving to Las Vegas to do it full time.

An examination of public filings shows when Landew sells his SRA shares. Some claim there is an uncomfortable proximity of these sales to major sporting events. Is it possible Landew is addicted to gambling, and dumps SRX to feed his gambling habit?

If true, this could be a major scandal. Landews love of gambling and substantial sales are not mere rumors. Other rumors such as the nature of his relationship with up and coming SRA manager Jeff Rydant are harder to explain. Rydant seems to be or at least have been Landews companion on many of his gambling jaunts.

There have also been allegations of nefarious deeds associated with Landews position on the board of Mantas and SRAs relationship with CIA think tank In-Q-Tel. It is likely, however, that the stories about Bellador and shady dealings in Kuala Lumpur can be dismissed as conspiracy theories.